Bet Dreams

The Super Bowl is just over a week away, which means Vegas & offshore sportsbooks are lining up all sorts of bets for people to make.

Depending on the sites that you go on, you can bet on various things - from whether the coin toss will be heads or tails; who will score the first touchdown; whether the total score of the game will have more or less points than Michigan will score against Michigan State in college basketball.

I bet you a quarter that it'll be heads.

You can even bet on whether the total time of Kelly Clarkson's rendition of the National Anthem will be under about 93-94 seconds. You name it, you can bet it on some site or sports book.

Hell, as crazy as this sounds, you can even bet on the game itself if you have a strong feel on the Patriots or Giants or the total score. Of course this is said sarcastically - with how many prop bets there are to make in the game, it can be easy to forget that there is an actual game where a team will score at least 1 more point than another team.

Remember...this town wasn't built because people win money...

In my group of friends, I'd say a decent amount of us wager on sports. Some of us wager more than others. One thing is for certain - none of us are professionals at it.

I've been regularly gambling on sports for about 6 years, more than most of my friends. Even when I was a kid who raised himself on sports through ESPN & various periodicals, I had a good sense of what football lines would be. During my time betting, I've had the ups and downs (emotionally & monetarily) that goes with the territory of gambling. Admittedly, there were times where I definitely wasn't strong enough to handle the ups and downs. That's one thing I've gotten better at - the main reason why I've had better results.

As my social circle started to include more of the gambling types, some of my friends who didn't gamble started to show some intrigue into making bets themselves.

While I wish any of my friends the best of luck when it comes to betting on sports, I'll gladly provide an answer to any of my friends who are wondering if they should start gambling.

Don't.

Most people who I've known to start gambling on sports don't stop, with a few exceptions. It can get to be a very addictive thing. Bad losses are usually harder to deal with for people who are just starting. Everyone can handle a winning streak, but it takes a strong person to handle the losing.

That's when people start forcing bets, chasing losses, increasing amounts of their bets.

For those people who haven't started gambling on a website, you'd be better off continuing your enjoyment of these sports strictly on "being a fan" basis.

You'd think with how much you watch sports that you'd have a handle on gambling and winning money through it. Vegas loves that you think that way - that's how they make their money.

You can break a game down for hours and think there's no way the Saints are going to lose at San Fran. Much of this is likely on your perception of the Saints as you see how strong their offense has looked and how much you hear and read about them through various media outlets.

None the matter, your bet starts off horribly & despite a strong push to nearly cover the game, the losing writing is on the wall. Even with your time spent watching games all year (and likely your whole adult life), a lot of times your perception on what will happen versus what actually does happen ends up being way off.

So even if you think you know sports, that's not enough to succeed at gambling. Money management is crucial as well. Never gamble more than you can afford to lose. And never chase losses. If you barely have any money in your saving/checking accounts, odds are you shouldn't be gambling to begin with.

Also, if you can't stand losing money, even a fairly small bet, you shouldn't be gambling. Losing a buck or a 5 spot shouldn't be a worry. Don't get me wrong - no one loves losing money, but you have to be able to handle the losses. If losing even a small amount ruins your mood, you'd be better off using that money on a bag of chips or a slice of pizza. Where you can actually reap in the benefits of the money.

Walking Contradiction

A lot of this is "do as I say, not as I've done", because I've definitely had times where I wasn't mentally equipped to bet, nor should I have bet so much on games in an attempt to recoup losses (i.e. chase).

I know the urge for some people to start gambling is there, but I think you'd be better off enjoying it on your couch with your Sam Adams and bag of pretzels.

If you decide to, I can't stress enough starting on a small level & stick with a betting amount (win or lose).

As you watch the Super Bowl and think it'd be fun to bet on what color Gatorade the winning coach will have dumped on them, remember that these bets are lost more often than they are won.

Stick to watching the game & the over-hyped commercials (or Puppy Bowl, if you prefer). Leave the betting to the professionals.

Like me.

Yep....it lost.

B-Bo's Bucket List: The Sports Version

Watching the Saints get the cover in the last 4-5 minutes of the game left me with a taste of football in my mouth. Immediately after the game ended, Jen and I had just left her apartment Saturday night to head to the Loop for a birthday get-together.

It was as I walked out of the apartment that I decided that watching football on TV this month wasn't enough. I had to go to a playoff game!

New Orleans' victory ensured them of a Saturday afternoon matchup at Candlestick Park against San Francisco - my favorite squad. A month earlier, me and Jen discussed going to a game together but didn't know what weekend it would be since they hadn't clinched a week off at that point. Jen's job of working at a salon forces her to have set appointments a month ahead of time, so this plan of us going was put on the scrap heap.

Between realizing that we couldn't go together and that moment Saturday night, I hadn't thought much about going to San Fran. I figured that if me and Jen weren't going, I wouldn't go, especially since none of my friends that I hang out with consistently are Niners fans.

With a simple Facebook status posted, I found out that lacking a Niner fan background did not matter to some of my friends. My friend (we'll call him Kudes) instantly texted me and was on board with the idea. Tickets for the game and flights were bought and a nice hotel was reserved for a three-night stay. Another friend (we'll call him Tom) showed interest but after the purchases were made.


(Check out our seats - Section 28 (Upper Reserved), Row 1)

Another friend (ok, Wolf is his name and we'll call him that) said that he would have loved to go as well, whether it was his team or not. All of this interest got me thinking...what would I put on my sports bucket list of sports events or experiences that I would like to see at some point in my life?

In the spirit of the new year, I'll name '12 different sports events/experiences (in no particular order) that I'd love to do (some I've done, some I haven't)

1. Baseball Road Trip (Achieved) - Fitting enough, this man we call "Kudes" was part of this original trip of sporting awesomeness in my life. Along with the Luzzman, we visited 12 different baseball stadiums in a 12-day span. This includes five stadiums that have since closed and a city that lost its baseball team (au revoir Expos). This once-in-a-lifetime trip is remembered more for the travels to and from places rather than the games themselves (life motto: process of traveling to destination oftentimes > destination itself).
2. Watch the Final Game of a Sport (Achieved) - Luzzman won the right to buy tickets to the 2010 Final Four in Indianapolis (Sounds silly I know). The hometown Butler Bulldogs came within a halfcourt heave away from winning the title against Duke. It was amazing seeing a close game to close the season of a sport. I did miss Easter with the family but we did enjoy a nice Easter dinner with my friend Phil and his wife who live in Indy.
3. Attending NFL Playoff Game (Will Be Achieved) - As noted, this will be achieved Saturday. Our seats are in the first row of the upper deck. We will be playing the role of tourists on Friday. The only thing in question now is the flight leaving on time. Normally I don't care about snow, especially working from home. However, any delay will annoy me slightly. Nevertheless, a little snow won't ruin my mindset as I get ready to watch one of the NFL's best defenses play against one of the NFL's best offenses.
4. Attend MLB Playoff Game (Achieved) - After seeing a dud of a game in the 2000 playoff season, which was the start of the White Sox getting swept by the Mariners, I had higher expectations going to the 2005 ALCS opener against the Angels, who were on little sleep after long flights from NY to Cali and back to Chicago and were starting John Lackey on short rest. Needless to say, the Sox lost. Luckily, I can tell the story of going to the White Sox's only postseason loss that year for the rest of my life.
5. Yankees/Red Sox
6. Duke/North Carolina (NCAAB)
7. Packers/Bears (not achieved) - I lumped all of these things together. All of these games are at or near the top of their respective sports' best rivalries and I have yet to see any of them. Obviously the latter is the most likely based on geography. I think I can get out to a game of the other two at some point. For all of these games, it doesn't even matter what venue I see them at - seeing as though I'm not a fan of any of these teams. I'd probably lean going to NY to see the new stadium but Duke/NC can be seen anywhere...someday....someday.
8. Big Ten football stadium outside of Illinois (likely Mich vs. OSU) (not achieved) - I'd like to see a good college football rivalry game, so odds are the Mich vs. OSU game would be the best one to go to geographically. If Wisconsin and Mighigan State continue to stay strong, I wouldn't mind to go to either of their stadiums to see a good matchup
9. SEC football (LSU, Bama or Florida) (not achieved) - The nation's best college football has been in the southeast for the first part of the 21st century, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. I'm not sure if I'm ready to handle the craziness of this type of atmosphere, but I figure to blend in after about a beverage or ten and I can grow a wicked mullet.
10. The first weekend of March Madness...
11. and the Super Bowl....in Vegas (not achieved) - Yeah, yeah, yeah. I've been to Vegas a half-dozen times. In fact, the first time I went was about four years ago around this time, in which I lost my first 4-5 bets placed (including some NFL playoff bets). However, there's something about the merging of certain times of year and Vegas that seem like a perfect marriage (see: peanut butter & jelly; rice a roni & applesauce; David Lee Roth and Van Halen). With March Madness, there are 32 games in the first 2 full days of the tournament and would go from 9am till about 10-11pm Pacific time in the four days.
    
    On the other Spectrum, the Super Bowl is one game, but it is THE GAME. It is by far the most bet-on game of the year (legally and illegally) and lately has featured some amazing matchups. Any sports fan who likes the reaction of fans as a game swings one way or another needs to go to a sports book when a point spread is on the line. It's a great site to see the agony of defeat on dozens of peoples faces at once (one of those faces is usually mine) contrasting the joy seen in the gentlemen who won thousands on games. I must go to Vegas for these events at some point. At the same time, I must be prepared to lose a ton of money
12. The Super Bowl (not achieved) - I put this near the bottom since I consider it the least likely of events to attend. This is all due to cost. I'd pretty much have to win tickets to the Super Bowl or get an awesome 30th birthday gift to go to the 2013 game (cough, hint). Actually, I wouldn't expect anyone to fork over money for that. This year's Super Bowl's cheapest seats on Stub Hub are going for $2200 apiece. These Super Bowl tickets are not going to get any cheaper.
    
    On the other hand, going to the Super Bowl site and just hanging out is always an option. I may consider going to the Indy area if the Niners somehow make it there. I know a couple of friends of mine that made the trip to Miami 5 years back just to watch the Bears against the Colts at a local bar and had a good time. I'd likely do this with the lady if she agreed to go - don't think I'd do this solo.

There's probably some games/events that I am missing. Feel free to share your ideas and maybe I'll add them to my own list.

I have many years to achieve these items on the Bucket List. Let's hope I can get this list whittled down sooner rather than later.

Stairway out of '11: The Year That Was

The year that was - it was 2011.
Some great things entered my life, some went to heaven.

Goodbye to my wonderful Grandma, a great woman to all.
Always around for us whenever we'd rise and fall.

So long to my Buddy of 15 years, man's best friend.
The old man was loyal until the very end.

For the loss I had, there was plenty of good in my life.
I had a great pair of friends who took the dive

Into a marriage that was as unique as themselves.
Definitely something to keep in my memory shelf.


My Niners are surprising, no Christmas coal.
I'm crossing my fingers for a Super Bowl.

There was the usual Vegas trip (ok, two).
At least I won (wait, I did lose).

What was unusual was activity in dating.
In the past I was left alone and debating

An online route to meet a great girl
After a two-month relationship, I entered the online dating world.

Met a pretty ginger who has been amazing.
Feeling like a kid who is star gazing.

It's nice to have another half to make things whole
Someone to compliment the heart and soul.

With these things in my life, I have much to love.
My family and friends continue to fit me like a glove.

It's fun to grow old around all these fools I know.
The theatre of life, there's always a great show.

The Mayans say that the world will end soon.
I'll take my chances that day and sleep till noon.

For 2011 exits, 2012 will begin.
And hopefully I'll be singing this happy tune all over again.

The Views from Vegas: Observations Finally Put to Words After Vegas VI

Another Vegas trip is in the books. Another couple hundred dollars down the drain - and I loved every minute of it.

From Jen making her first sports bets, including one on her own, to the delicious food and buffets we had, I enjoyed Vegas as I always do.

I've always had these observations and thoughts before about Vegas, but haven't put them into words until now. Here goes nothing:

(1.) Everyone at the sports book bets the favorites. I pointed this out to Jen, and even she started to notice this as well. Out of my 6 bets, 5 of them were on underdogs - funny enough, the only favorite I bet was my boys in San Fran laying 10 points, which they held on to cover. So it helped that I noticed it most in this scenario. The reason why Vegas wins so much money every year is that they set lines at such a consistent and balanced rate of favorites and underdogs covering spreads.

One of my 6 bets (and my largest winner), a bet that was unpopular with
Public folks that like to bet on the favorites.

According to Covers.com, favorites are 77-76-7 this season against the spread. Also, home teams are 76-77-7 against the spread. Even my theory on betting against road favorites has a similar record around 50% (25-24-2). Most years, this number hovers around 50%, and since people need to win around 52-53% to break even if they bet the same each game (i.e. flat bet), Vegas wins.

I saw a lot of people rooting on the favorites, rooting every single score and first down for the favorites. A pair of guys next to me - sounded New Yorkish based on their accents - were rooting on one of their pools in which they went perfect in the first set of games for a Vegas contest in picking teams straight up. All he needed was Atlanta, Chicago, San Fran and St. Louis to come in to end the afternoon games perfect (all favorites). The first set of games featured only one team (Oakland) that was considered an underdog by Vegas standards. I'm just guessing, but with the lack of upsets there were at that point, a perfect record is probably shared by about 100 people.

Anyways, what was I getting at? Oh yeah, Vegas rules. At both setting lines and providing a good time.

(2.) Vegas is exactly like how Chappelle Show depicts "The Internet".

In case you are not familiar with this skit, here it is:

This is exactly how Vegas is allllllll the time. From left to right, up the escalators and down, you get hounded and raped by people trying to sell something. They get right in your face, trying to sell you on some show or strip club. You can't avoid them, even when you're in the hotel you're staying at and approaching the elevator.

This is probably the most annoying feature of Vegas. I understand most of Vegas is tourists and you need to find a way to sell your product - and often face-to-face is the best way to do it. I just wish I could go 5 feet without a piece of paper being thrown in my face about some club I will never go to.

(3.) People don't know how to walk. A common occurrence in Vegas goes as such. Person A is with Person B about 30 feet away from me. One of them stops, trying to figure out where they want to go next. One of them points. They stand there for another second or two. Then as we get to within a foot of them, they decide where they want to go and either cut us off or walk deathly slow in front of us.

Lord knows I have a city walk that I can't get rid of. I got yelled at a few times for walking too fast, but I had to tell her I can't help it...it's just the way I walk. But for as fast as I walk, there are some people who walk twice as slow as the national average of walkers*.  These people all go to Vegas.

*National Average is about 4 miles per hour. No need to look it up.

(4.) If you ask someone if they've ever been to Vegas and they answer, "Not since I was a kid," they've never been to Vegas. For anyone who has ever been to Vegas, you know this to be the ultimate truth. When you're a teenager, the only things you can really experience in Vegas involve meals and shows of the PG-13 kind or weaker. Not only that, but you're likely with your parents or someone else in a position of authority. And what fun is that in Vegas? You need to be able to gamble a little and imbibe on some adult beverages to enjoy the true Vegas. Sure, you can get away with not gambling and not drinking while you're in Vegas, but if you're gonna do that, why not just go somewhere closer and more local?

This brings me to my next point....

(5.) When (or If) I have kids, I will NEVER bring them to Vegas. I can't stress this enough. I saw a bunch of people with their kids at the Bellagio buffet (or The Buffet as they call it)* and also walking the strip. I can't think of the many reasons it is wrong to bring kids to Vegas, but I'll attempt to.

(a) Not old enough to appreciate Vegas - See Point 4 above
(b) It's Sin City for a reason. Do you really want your kids exposed to those folks who are hawking the strip club cards and others who are so drunk they can't even spell their own names**?
(c) They take away from your fun. What adult really wants to have a PG-rated Vegas trip? If I can't gamble, go to the sports book and enjoy a few beverages, then it's not Vegas to me.

I'm sure there's more that I'm forgetting, but I think I made my point. If you bring your kids to Vegas and have fun nonetheless (and aren't BSing me because you think your spouse reads this blog)***, please tell me to disprove my point.

Any who, these are just some things I've thought of. Any frequent visitors of Vegas, please feel free to chime in with your own thoughts.

*The Ohio State University is shameful in its use of "The". Contrarily, The Buffet is being modest.

**Just guessing. I've never been this drunk, but in Vegas, people are dumb enough to get this drunk

***Awfully full of myself to think that married couples read this crap, but figured I'd insert this nonetheless.


Vegas Results:

NFL bets: 3-3 record, -$105
Roulette: 2 sessions, -$150
Horse bets: 2 horses bet, 2 losses: -$40

Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone!

NFL Picks for Thanksgiving

Detroit +6, Mia/Dal Over 45, Balt/SF Under 40

LV Part VI: Scratching the Vegas Itch Again

About every five or six months in the past 3-4 years, there's this mosquito that keeps biting the living hell out of me.

Sin City Revisited in T-minus-68 hours

This itch cannot be ignored. The inevitable scratching cannot be avoided. It gets to the point where I start forming scabs as a result of the itch.

However, this itch is not your average bug. Its lights, unlike a lightning bug, are attractive and don't tempt me to grab a plastic bat to get some batting practice.

The bite usually ends up being costly, in the amount of $500-1000 over the course of a 3-4 day span.

Ok, I'm delaying the news, as if I still have your attention anyways--It's Vegas time baby! And in a new twist for my 6th Vegas trip, I will be accompanied by a female this time around.

This will be our second time in Vegas this year, but her last time was mainly just business. Now, she will have to face the monster that Vegas turns me into.

Bellagio buffets. Mimosas. Bacon. More Mimosas. More Bacon...and this is all before 10am.

(see how I turned Bacon into a proper noun? I'm hoping this catches on in the literary world)

I digress. The girlfriend is already getting tired of me repeating myself on the deliciousness of the Bellagio buffet, the plethora of cocktails at the Bellagio sportsbook at the low, low price of a tip, and so on.

We'll likely take on different angles of a Vegas trip than I am accustomed to, but I have no problem with that. I'll get my fair share of time in the sportsbook (from around noon pacific time till who knows on the Sunday is guaranteed), but at the same time, I'm also looking forward to experiencing a few different things about Vegas.

I'll likely keep everyone updated via Twitter (and maybe a little bit on FB) in regards to my bets, experiences and deliciousness that is Vegas.

Let one of the best weeks of the year commence ASAP.


Fools Gold, Week 11

Looks like my Fools Gold column has become fools gold in itself. Indianapolis continued on its "Not Do Good on Purpose for Luck" campaign by losing 17-3 to the Jaguars. Luckily, for the second week in a row, I bet on the end I thought was fools gold and laid the points with Jacksonville.

(5-5 record - includes 4-3, +$10 when betting against the Fools Gold and 2-0, +$100 when betting on the FG)

San Diego at Chicago (-3.5) - When I saw this game on the schedule for this week and figuring in each team's past 3-4 week stretch, I figured Chicago would be about -5 or 6. So you'd think I'd be ecstatic to see Chicago this low and would hammer the crap out of them, particularly since this will be among the first games I can bet on while in Vegas.

Au contraire, mon frere. Call me a sucker around 4:30 Pacific time (yes, already getting comfortable saying Pacific time in Vegas-speak), but I'm gonna take San Diego as my first bet of my Vegas trip. I think the Bears will have a letdown after an emotional, convincing win against the Lions.


Other Week 11 Bets

NYJ -4.5 & Under 38.5 (Bought down 1.5 pts) - First bets to be graded for the week. I caught NYJ early in the week at this line. Also think it will be a quick game thanks to about 70-80 total rushes between the two teams.

Jax -1 - Unfortunately, I took this line earlier in the week as well, thinking bettors might actually lean Jax. Now Jax is +1, which I guess doesn't really change much. Not too many games end with a team winning by 1 or a tied game. This game should be a nominee for sloppiest game of the year.

Det -7 - I think Detroit is gonna take out its frustrations on a Carolina team that is also coming off of its worst performance this year.

Ten +6 - This seems to be too many points to lay with Atlanta here. I'm not sure yet if I'll be betting this when I get to Vegas, but there's a good chance of it. Tennessee only a game back in division if they win.

SF -9.5 - Harbaugh is 13-0-2 against the spread in his last 15 games as coach (6 games w/ Stanford, 9 w/ Niners). Since I'll be in Vegas for this, it'll be hard not to back this trend for another week. I worry slightly about a look-ahead to their Thanksgiving matchup against Harbaugh's brother in Baltimore, but not enough where I won't bet it.


Attempting to avoid NCAA picks this week - we'll see how that goes.

Week 10	Week 11
NFL 3-5, -$21	NCAA 1-4-1, -$200
Totals 2-1, $204	Totals 0-0
MLs 0-0	MLs 0-1, -$50
Spreads 1-4, -$225	Spreads 1-3-1, -$150
YTD: 38-32-3, $514.70	YTD: 19-30-1, -$468
Totals: 13-10-1, $416.10	Totals: 3-8, -$255
MLs: 4-2, $202.60	MLs: 0-6, -$310
Spreads: 21-20-2, -$104	Spreads: 16-16-1, $97

Half in the Bag - 2011's first 6 months from my experiences

My first seconds of 2011 were spent doing what many people were doing - at a party with some friends, enjoying some adult beverages and good food. Ordinary as it may seem, it set the tone for a year for me that has seen its good and bad; its happy and sad; no Mothers Day gift to Mom nor Fathers Day gift to dad (yet); people that we now have in our lives and people that we had. The things that stand out the most, chronologically~

Saaaaaakeeeeeeee!

Jan 2nd - Another successful birthday at Stoney Point betting on the ponies and hanging out with the best friends a guy could ask for. I'll remember the sake bombs that we took that day at the Japanese restaurant and the lady mocking my last place finish (of 4) in the sake bomb drink-off- "You a loser, ha ha ha."

Mid Jan - 2nd round of NFL playoffs and meeting up with Nick and Chris, a couple of old high school friends. We've hung out a handful of times since, often sharing old Mathlete stories and debating just how awesome Brian Scalabrine is. I'm glad that the old Nerd crew reconnected. We need to hang out again soon, gents.

To the delight of Bears fans everywhere, this was the sight to be seen on the first Sunday in February

Super Bowl Sunday - Hosted at Tim and Brie's place, they organized another good party for the game between the Steelers and the Packers. Yours truly and Tim profitted from the Super Bowl, but ultimately ended up losing the money back into the sports book later on in the week. Still, it is always nice to get a group together and enjoy each other's company.

Mid-late February - I was a few months away from graduating from my school and was still wondering what I wanted to do with my degree. After starting the second session of learning TV, it was then when I realized that video editing is what I wanted to do. This led me to be lead editor in our group's music video project as well as the splicing of several clips to produce YouTube videos. While I did take the internship with the school back in November, it was around Feb when I realized the direction I wanted to go in. (Editor's note: I still haven't put my degree to use yet, but plan on going in the video editing field). We graduated in April and for the most part have lost touch, but I'll never forget the great times we had as a class, both in and out of the classroom.

Rest in peace, Grandma Bolek. We will always remember you.

March thru April - The start of March was about the time where it was the beginning of the end for my Grandma Bolek, who was rushed to the hospital by my Dad and I believe my Aunt Donna. I remember getting back home from picking something up from my boss and answering a phone call from my sobbing father, who I can never recall ever seeing or hearing crying in my life. I visited her the next day when a hospice bed was placed in her home, but then never saw her alive again. She passed April 27, 2011 at the age of 90. She was, is, and will always be missed, but at the same time, always remembered.

HA HA! BUCKETS!

March Madness Opening Weekend - I always love this weekend, so much so that I've requested off of work for the opening Thursday and Friday of the tournament for the past 4 years. Unlike last year, no particular life-altering stories came out of 2011's tourney opening weekend. Bets were made (and mainly lost), beverages were consumed and laughs were shared. It lived up to its hype again as one of my favorite weekends in sports.

Jeff & Amber's engagement (Mother's Day weekend)- What do you get a mother whose son (cough, me) didn't give her a Mother's Day gift? How about a future daughter-in-law? Jeff and Amber stole the show this weekend when Amber showed off her ring towards the end of the Mother's Day brunch, which brought my Mom and others to tears. The date and location have been set for next year, and I could not be happier for my brother and future sister-in-law. Thank you for helping my mom forget that I didn't get her a Mother's Day gift (yet).

Congratulations to my happily married friends!

The Spencer Wedding - May 21 (The End of Days) - Spencer's bachelor party was on the Saturday of the tournament weekend and closed with us going to a burlesque show. That set the tone for a most untraditional wedding setting for a husband and wife (Jeremy and Kate) who have made a tradition of being untraditional. A small wedding at a park district may not be what most people want to do with their wedding, but they showed what really matters with a wedding is the people who are involved in the relationship surrounding themselves with their closest friends and family. It was only fitting that the after party was at a bowling alley, with us goofing off like we had done so many times before a decade earlier. I also had a blast writing a speech for this wedding and feel like I reflected well on the tone of the untraditional that had been set. I couldn't be happier for them.

Memorial Day weekend - While it may seem too soon to say this was the most significant weekend of the year, I highly doubt people could argue with me if I said it was. The weekend started with myself and Elias travelling to Wisconsin to meet up with a bunch of our friends. The lodge/resort was nice, but the initial night of the trip proved to be what made the trip. Many of my friends who I had never really seen drink before were looser than ever after a few drinks. Many were hung over the following day, but Mimosas were what I started the day with - it is vacation after all. The Saturday night of the trip was a lot more chill, but was necessary for the health of most of Friday night's participants.
    Elias and I left on Sunday, a day before the rest of the people left. I wanted to come home to take care of the dogs, who were at my Grandma Raynor's for a night. I didn't want her to be bothered by them for long though, so I left early and brought the dogs home to get back into their element. I had known about a Memorial Day party before I left the Wisconsin trip that some of my new friends were hosting at their rented place in Alsip, so I figured while I was taking care of the dogs, I'd also attend this party later on. It started at 4pm on the Sunday, but I came later to avoid being trapped into an early drinking demise (that later proved to be true for many of the participants of the 4pm start of the party). It was here that I briefly met Moe, who was my bags partner for the one game I played against Craig and Pete. While we didn't win, an innocent pairing of two people for a bags game eventually led to what is now a promising relationship with an awesome girl.

Bobby McGees - Before the month of June, I had been to this bar exactly once in my life. In June alone, I was there every Tuesday and an additional few days. I have met some awesome new people in the past month through the new relationship. As I've told Moe's friends, the type of people you surround yourself with is a good indicator of what kind of person you are. That is definitely the case here. I'm glad I've gotten to meet the people I've met so far and look forward to meeting others as the months

Vegas -  You already can see the blog about Vegas from mid June - feel free to consult this blog on how it went. It was a traditional Vegas trip full of ups and downs at the sports book, a trip that always leaves you wanting more of the Sin City.

The start of my Arlington success

Arlington/BBBBQ weekend - The weekend which started my parent's trip to Michigan (a trip where they never saw the sun for a week) also started a vacation of my own. Brie had her birthday at the horsetrack, and about 10-12 people came out for it over the course of the day. In addition to enjoying two pina coladas, I also basked in the riches of picking 5 of 10 winners throughout the day, including a 13/1 named Brain Teazer. The following day, I had my traditional BBBBQ, which was enjoyed by many. The weather was good enough to enjoy the pool as well. Also, it was the day many of my friends got to meet the lady for the first time. The party seemed to strike up many friendships, as the next day I saw nothing on Facebook but (A friend of mine) is now friends with (another friend of mine) and 6 (other friends of mine).

I may be missing a few things, and I apologize if I did. These events reflect the type of year that I have had so far. I look forward to seeing how the rest of the year develops. I hope all of you get to enjoy it with me in some capacity.

Lost (in) Vegas, part 6

A view from a walkway during Vegas dusk, 6-5-11

No shock here...I lost in Vegas. My friend Tom says he is never coming back after some pretty big losses, notably the French Open and NASCAR. Sometimes I wish I could say the same thing - that I'm not coming back here. Rarely do I even come up on a trip here. In fact, most of my trips have had a similar feel. Very awful first day, moderate 2nd day, and then a comeback on the last day.

This trip was no different. I had won my first 2 bets of the trip but then fell into a hole with my Thursday night/Friday morning bets of Miami ($330 lost in 2 bets) and Djokovic ($300). A moderate comeback started with some horse bets, increase $ in my wallet from $13 at one point to over $200. I left the sportsbook with $103 that day and was about to call it a night when my friend reminded me that I was in Vegas so I went to plop down $100 at our casino's roulette table. I decided to play the #28 and #22, and not even 2 spins in, the 28 came in. 3 spins later, #28 again. Another couple spins later, another 28. At the end of the night, up about $360. I had to thank Tom for getting me out of the room.

Saturday seemed promising after I won my first bet (five inning under of Red Sox/A's) to get up to nearly $600, but then a string of three bets flushed nearly all of that away. I tried another horse race comeback to no avail - this failed attempt occuring as the annoying Canucks fans took over the Bellagio sportsbook. As the night closed, I decided I was gonna cave on my ATM avoidance and take money out so that I could bet on Nadal the next day. However, 7-8 failed attempts at getting money out of 4 different ATMs (first trying to take out $300, then $280, then $200, then $100 several times to no avail) made this a problem. I finally tried taking out just $80, which I was able to do twice before a third time said I exceeded my daily limit. I was able to bet Nadal $120 to win $50 profit (-240, which was a shock considering Djokovic was -270 and not the player on clay that Nadal is).

Sunday, we wake up around 7 to see the end of the first set, which went to Nadal, who then took the second set.  Federer took the third set around 9:35 local time, tying up my Nadal money and preventing me from betting the early games. I guess that wasn't such a bad thing, seeing as though I had no good feels on the games. After Federoff hurried back to the Flamingo to get that money, I wagered $120 of the $170 I got back from Nadal on a first 5-inning over for the Red Sox/A's - came in the 3rd or 4th inning. Unfortunately, everything after that up until the Heat game went to crap. I was throwing hay into the wind with some of the bets I was making (five inning bet on Astros against the Padres, Carl Edwards in NASCAR finished 5th). I had to make another ATM trip and took out $80 this time. I distributed it between first half under of 94.5 ($30 to win $30), Miami to win the first quarter ($30 to win $33), and then two separate first basket of the game props in Jason Kidd (10/1 odds) and Mike Bibby (12/1). In reverse order, Bibby got the first basket (+$120-10 for Kidd = $110); Miami pulled away at the end of the quarter (+$33) and a slow down of offense in the 2nd quarter allowed the first half under to clear no problem (+$30). The $60 I got back from the first half under went completely into the Heat/Mavs 2nd half under, which was juiced heavily in favor of the over ($60 to win $72 profit). That came in no problem, but unfortunately my $100 on the Heat covering a reverse line of -3.5 didn't come in.

Monday - the horse racing tradition continued. I won my first horse racing bet and then soon another one after that. But unlike previous last day trips, profits were not in order for this adventure. Tom and I grinded out a few hours of no betting before catching a cab back to the airport, and then eventually getting back to Chicago around midnight.

Tom kept saying he didn't want to go back to Vegas, that this was gonna be his last trip. As recently as a few days ago, he's already talking about going back.

Such is the power of a gambler's life in Vegas. You may lose your cash there, but the Vegas allure remains.

End of an Era: Bookmaker (2007-2011)

If you are reading this, you are likely friends with me on Facebook. Posted earlier today, I lamented on the loss of my sportsbook, Bookmaker. The US Department of Justice and Homeland Security seized its domain today, as seen in the image below:

Bookmaker's death sentence, as handed down by The United States of Big Brother

Tim Wolf first brought this to my attention yesterday, saying that Bookmaker already had an alternate site ready to use in the event of site seizure. The takeover was official today, leaving millions of gamblers such as myself looking for new ways to get the gambling itch fixed. Trust me - people will get their gambling done one way or another.

The seizure of their site (and other poker sites a month ago and I'm sure numerous other sites in the near future) begs the question: in a free country that proclaims democracy and freedom to make choices as individuals, why is it illegal for Americans to gamble on sports outside of Vegas? Some states (Delaware and Oregon for example) allow very limited sports gambling, but Nevada is the only state where sports gambling is legal.

The amount of money that other states could make from sports gambling is sick to think about.  I have at least 10 friends who would love having the ability to sit at a local casino and bet the sports that we have been betting online and through other venues for years - and we'd hardly be the only ones. Not only that, but we'd be modestly gambling when compared to the high rollers - if it's anything like Vegas sports books. In my trips to Vegas, it wasn't uncommon to see guys wagering 10 to 100 times more in a given bet than me. Considering my average bet in Vegas ranges from $50-200, we're talking about a very profitable operation, especially since the book makes money on any gambler that doesn't hit more than 53% of their bets.

Other sites are still in operation for gamblers to use, but it's a matter of time before they get shut down. From what I read, it appears as though Bookmaker's problem (as it was for the banned poker sites) was for money laundering, not for the act of allowing American gamblers to deposit money onto their site.

Nevertheless, this wouldn't be a problem if gambling on sports was legal!

I suspect that Vegas lobbyists and America's desire to limit freedoms (not expand them) as part of their Mommy/Daddy role they play with their citizens are the main reasons that sports gambling is not legal.

They'll say they're protecting the poor from losing their money, but they don't give a rat's ass about that. If people will not lose their money with sports gambling (the way the government has it now), people will lose their money through other venues, many of them just as self-destructive as sports gambling (such as drinking, smoking and many other unhealthy ways).

The government tried Prohibition (didn't work); they've tried "Say No to Drugs" (many people "Said No to Nancy Reagan" and did and continue to use drugs anyways); they continue to try stopping people from being gay by attempting to ban gay marriage in particular states (won't work).

Now, the sports gambling spectrum, at least the online forum, is controlled by the government. If they think this won't drive people to underground methods (as it did to all of the above "bans" or "warnings"), they're dumber than I thought - which is saying a lot.

I'm willing to bet that this is not the end of my "Gambling Outside of Vegas" era. And instead of collecting money from me in a sports book, where some of my money would be going to the government via taxes, my money will be going elsewhere.

Suck it, government.

Don't Stress, Young Man

I need to see someone about my sports addiction problem.

There's no reason a human being should get so worked up about any angle of sports where it affects the person even in the slightest.

Don't get me wrong. Sports are a good release from real life, where we have to deal with work, bills, recession stuff, etc. When sports help you forget about those things for a while, no one would argue that as a bad thing. However, there are just some times where I get worked up about certain aspects of sports that make me question why I get so involved in it emotionally.

Gambling

This devil of a thing entered my life at a young age. Around the age of 8 or 9, I was aware of point spreads and wasn't too bad for my age in guessing what a line would be in football. A few years later, I organized a football picking pool with me, my dad and two neighbors on the block to guess the winners straight up every week.

That morphed into the once famous confidence pool that had me and some friends competing for money every week and for end of year prizes by ranking the teams we thought had the best chance of winning every week in descending order. As that dissolved, online gambling became my new outlet. Outside of a few decent cashouts, that has been mostly sewer money.

And who could forget Vegas, the place I will have visited for the 6th time in 3 1/2 years after my June trip is complete. While others get their thrills in Vegas from black jack, poker, clubs and shows, my Dream Vegas is plopping my ass in the sports book after a nice fattening Bellagio breakfast with mimosas. While I've never lost more than a couple hundred while in Vegas, I've never really won much either.

Gambling changes the way I watch sports in that I am often rooting for teams and outcomes that I would not care about otherwise. I will say that I am as objective of a gambler as there is when it comes to judging how an official/referee/umpire may or may not be impacting my bet. Which brings me to the next thing that bothers me about sports....

Blaming the Officials

Going into game 2 of the series between the Heat and the Bulls, I told my friend Tim that I guaranteed that Bulls fans and "fans" would find a way to complain about the referees if the game was close (I said within 10 points) and the Bulls lost.

Sure enough, right on queue, I saw a few items on a social network (hint: it rhymes with Schmace schmook) of a handful of complaints about the refs as the Heat were closing out their 10 point win. I didn't realize referees caused the Bulls to shoot 34 percent from the field and 61% from the free throw line, but I'm glad a few people were out there to remind me that it was the men in the zebra outfits who caused that. Sure as hell beats thinking that, I don't know, your team got outplayed almost as bad as they did to you in the previous game.

Even while completely expecting a few people to blame the refs, it still annoyed me to no end to read some of those comments. I typed out comments and hit the backspace button before sending the comments, for fear of getting in a War of Turds with some of the haters of striped shirts. I knew arguing specific calls that the Bulls got in their favor would do no good, so I resisted and decided that venting about it to the 10 people who read this would be a better outlet.

(Editor's note: I did bet the Heat with 5 people but promise you that I will not blame the refs if the Heat lose this series. Neither team needs the ref's help to win the series.)

So the point of this subsection, I guess, is that if I didn't get so worked up about sports, I wouldn't get worked up about people blaming the refs for crap that their players did or did not do. Even in the small increments that I see this happening, this probably annoys me more than the gambling aspect of sports.

If it weren't for the refs, the Bulls would be 92-0 at this point in the year, well on their way to the first perfect season in NBA history.

That last sentence is probably believed by 5-10% of Bulls fans- which scares the shit out of me.

My teams suck

The teams I have decided to follow in my life - mainly the White Sox and 49ers - aren't exactly for the faint of heart. Combined since 2002 the teams have combined for 2 playoff appearances - White Sox in 2005 and 2008. The World Series championship seems so far away, especially given the lack of follow-up to that season in any of the subsequent seasons despite consistently high expectations year in, year out.

On the other end, the Niners have lowered my expectations during that time, to the point where I thought an 8-8 season in 2009 was "a good season". We've had the luxury of having a healthy rotation of coaches since our last playoff appearance in 2002. We're tried offensive-minded coaches, defensive-minded coaches, coaches who had their fathers successfully coach in the league, coaches who used to be successful players a few decades removed. You name it, we've hired a sucky version of it.

While I consider myself somewhat of a Bulls fans, to be fair to the fans of the team through the thick and thin, I will not speak of them in my fandom. For the most part, I root for the Bulls (that is, when I don't have $110 and 10 pitchers on the line). By no means am I a diehard though.

I wish I was though - because I could really use a winning team in my collection of teams I root for (sigh). Losing is tough to swallow, no matter the sport. If only my teams could play without refs....then we'd probably lose every damn game.

Why?

So why the hell am I so loyal to anything and everything relating to sports, given all these factors that annoy me daily or annually? Why would any person deal with the stressors that sports cause, especially when sports are actually supposed to relieve stress of daily life?

I'd say that the main reason that I will continue to love sports despite the above things is the camaraderie that comes from watching sports with my friends. It is unlike any other social aspect of my life. Getting together with friends to watch a sporting event, regardless of gambling/rooting interest or sport, is a priceless time. Also, if it wasn't for sports, I probably would talk to many of my guy friends a lot less than I do. I certainly don't want to take that out of my life. Throwing a few back, wagering a few bucks and sharing laughs and stories outweighs the bad that some aspects of sports create for me.

I suppose I am fine without a sports psychologist in my life. It's not like I'm gambling more than I can afford to lose, getting heart attacks from sports arguments or losing sleep over my teams sucking ass.

In the meantime, I bet you that the refs will cause the Bulls to lose again and that my White Sox will lift up my hopes and then let me down again.

At least my Niners will miss the playoffs along with 31 other teams if there's no season.

Finally, a victory cigar is in order.

Now What: Filling a 20 Hour Weekly Void

If they only had a Brain. Now- he's gone from the Center of Illinois Broadcasting and looking for stuff to do.

What a great past couple of days to wrap up my time at school. Social events with my classmates bookended between a graduation where the school's dyslexia was in full display in the above picture (name and internship both messed up). Today was a good recovery/rest day from all of the excitement and madness that has ensued from the past week/month. But when Tuesday comes around, what will I do with the 20+ hours that I will now have to myself?

Sports: There's been some amazing basketball being played right now, which should fill some of the void. I've missed out on the majority of weekday sports since starting school. Luckily, during that time, I did pick up a CrackBerry, which allowed me to follow the scores of the games I was most interested in (i.e. the games I bet on). I had a brief early season buzz with the White Sox, but I am more interested in the NBA playoffs at this point. I'm sure I'll go to close to a dozen ball games this summer with my friends. I thought about doing the Ozzie Plan with the partial season ticket plan, but I don't like the idea of going to a baseball game with one other person for 13 games (I'd rather go to 13 games with 3-4 people). However, I don't have the cash to throw down on 39-52 tickets with the risk that I can't sell some of the tickets. Hopefully, sports will fill some of the void.

Bars/Drinks: To watch sports, I will likely go out every now and then to watch the big games and just to get out of the house. I already know of one bar having Summer Shandy on tap (Olivers), so that may be my bar for the summer. I need to go to Wild Wings more. My boneless wing craving has not been met enough this year. The question with the bars/drinks option is: Will I be able to get anyone to go out with me on a somewhat regular basis? That is the $20K question.

Bowling Leagues: More bowling leagues you say? Yes- much needed in my summer life. Last year's summer league was the highlight of what was otherwise a dull/depressing summer. And with the main league about to end in a few weeks, I'll need to keep sharp in the summer. I may look to bowl two summer leagues.

Job Searching: With school now over, it's time to put this education to use better than I did with my previous degree. I have been given some websites to use for job leads in the video editing field. I'm gonna take a week or two to myself before I start looking.  Then it'll be time to start cranking out resumes and sending out my video editing demo in hopes of securing a gig. I'd like to get a part-time video editing gig to start if possible so I can keep my current job- which I do enjoy. If I do secure a part-time gig, I could see myself being a video editor at home- which means I'll need to score me a Mac and the new Final Cut program, which comes out in June.

Trips: A trip to Vegas is already set in stone, with a trip to Minnesota and Nashville, among others, on the horizon of being planned. These trips will help fill some of this downtime that comes from the ending of school.

I'm sure there's other things I'm forgetting, but luckily, it seems like I'll have a lot of potential outlets to kill the 20+ hours I will gain from not having school any more.

While it is bittersweet that we had to say goodbye to each other, it will be worth it for all of us ICBers in the end for the experience we went through together. It will make the future "Hellos" all the more sweet.

Vegas V: the Aftermath

Breakdown of my daily wins/losses and my reactions to each bet:

Friday:

Horse racing ($-40): I won one or two horses, but was largely unsuccessful in my first round of Vegas betting. I did hit a $20 exacta (unboxed) at 9/2 ($90 profit), but otherwise it was toilet water money.

Basketball: (-$180): I didn't bother watching my Orlando -14 against Toronto (Toronto upset), but did take the time to watch much of my Sacramento money line bet (+270) against Phoenix. While Sac stayed in the game for much of the game, Nash's ability to destruct crappy teams with his ball movement was too much to overcome.

Poker: (-$65): My first and only session of poker was a $45 buy in with an optional $20 rebuy. I was eliminated just before the 2nd break, and never really stood much of a chance. I think I play too conservative for larger tournaments.

Slot: (-$5): The only money I risked of my own on a slot machine was during the poker break. 2 minutes into it, the $5 was lost.

Total Friday summary: -$250, prognosis bad.

Satuday

College football: (-$230)
Bet 1: Northwestern +10 vs Iowa....before entering the Bellagio (where I did all of my gambling and eating) for my daily brunch, I texted my friend Beth (don't let the gender fool you, she knows her shit about sports) about her thoughts on this bet, just to see what she thought. She didn't think much of NU's chances, so I decided to give myself a buffet's worth of food and mimosas to make my decision in lieu of some doubt. After devouring some bacon and eggs, I realized I had to trust my gut. The bet: $220 to win $200. NU looked impressive enough to bet on the first half, leading 7-3. Two early 3rd quarter touchdowns by Iowa soon made it 17-7 Iowa, leaving me wonder why I didn't listen to my XX college football counterpart (then again, when do men ever listen to women?)...anywho, NU gets a TD with about 4-5 minutes left and then another with about 1-2 left after an impressive defensive stand. I gladly take my $420 from the ticket and move on.

Bet 2: Utah (-5.5) at Notre Dame: Eugh, what a horse shit bet right from the start. I figured Utah would bounce back from its embarassing showing against TCU at home the week before, but they just added to the embarassment. I stopped watching this game once the Auburn/Georgia game took over the book's sound system. Consider this a loss of $110

Bet 3: Georgia +6.5 for the 2nd half at Auburn. With the game tied at the half, I figured I was getting a deal at Georgia being +6.5 given that the game line was +7. However, Auburn's surprise onside kick to start the half was a bad omen. Auburn scored on every OT possession, including touchdowns on their first 3 or 4 drives, with Georgia not having enough to respond. Another loss of $100.

Bet 4: USC at Arizona (-4). Not sure what possessed me to make this my 2nd big bet of the day (I was much more confidence in NU than Ariz), but my guess was that alcohol had something to do with it. I placed the $220 bet as I was leaving the book for the night. I proceeded to not watch a single down of the game (usually good things happen when I do this in Vegas), but I woke up around 10:30pm local time (about 2 hours past game time end) to see that USC won the game. Another loss.


Total Saturday summary: (1-3 record, -$230)....total for trip: (1-5 record, -$480)...prognosis....life support.


Sunday

NFL ($380.80):

Bet 1: Jax/Hou over of 49.5. While I didn't necessarily need a hail mary to win my bet, it felt that way mid way through the 2nd quarter when the score was still 3-3. Luckily, things fell into place from the middle of the 2nd quarter onwards, as a 17-3 Jax lead at the half was quickly answered by Houston in the 3rd. The game culminated with a Garrard hail mary that pushed a 24-all tie into a 31-24 victory for the Jaguars, but at that point the only way I wasn't winning that game was if no score was achieved in OT. Thank god though I didn't need to find that out....$100 profit.

Bet 2: Min (even) at Chi. Talk about pissing a bet down the drain. Minnesota looked like the horsecrap team that their 3-5 record reflected. Say what you want about the Bears not deserving to be 6-3, but they are taking advantage of shitty teams with their much improved defense this year....-$110 down the drain.

Bet 3: StL at SF (-5): I should have known better not to make a homer bet. I got caught up in my friends winning money off of Chi that I felt the need to back my boys. SF was covering briefly during the game but needed an OT field goal to win the game straight...loss of 132.

Bet 4: Seattle ML (+185) at Arizona. Not sure this was ever part of my plan (I know it wasn't), but Seattle was just getting too much back on the dollar not to bet this. Seattle handled Arizona for much of this game and gave me the first of my easy ML bets. Profit of $142.80 on a $78 ticket.

Bet 5: NE ML (+190) at Pittsburgh. Betting NE was a planned part of my trip all along, but I wasn't sure how I was gonna bet it (taking the 4.5 points or the money line). I opted for the latter to much delight. Not only that, I threw $200 on it, netting me a cool $380 profit on it ($580 return).  I wagered all but $25 in my wallet (in the event it lost, I wanted to be able to eat something with cash that night). Luckily, I didn't have to worry about that. Biggest cash for my Vegas history. Definitely a trip redeemer.

NASCAR (-$40)

So yeah, I bet NASCAR and lost on betting Jimmie Johnson, much to the delight of my new biggest fb friend, acquired from Vegas, Kiira, who is a Stewart fan that was rooting for Denny. I should have known not to bet on a guy who references dick in both segments of his name.

Roulette (-$41)

I played the requests that people gave me, with only Jim Carter's $10 on red providing me with any return. Before losing too much, I quit after people's provided numbers were sucking royally.


Sunday total summary: $299.80 (3-2 NFL, 0-1 NASCAR)....total for trip at this point: (-180.20)...prognosis, much better.

Monday:

Horse racing (+$24): I was in the sports book for 4 hours before leaving for the airport, but didn't bet a whole ton of races (unlike past trips). My biggest win was a $20 bet on a 6-1 that won. Otherwise it was mostly losers.

Final total summary: -$156.20. First trip without an ATM visit


All in all, it was a solid trip despite (and maybe because of) the fact I was running solo much of the trip. I paced myself well with the betting, enjoyed a breakfast buffet every day, made some decent sized bets, and had a great time. I'm hoping to roll with one or more people next time who wanna spend some more sports book time together.


Back to the daily grind of crappy weather, work and school.

Vegas in first half of 2010 anyone?

The ultimate Vegas betting thread

For weekend of 11/12 thru 11/14

This will be a running thread that I'll edit and repost as I go along. Rather than jump into reasons just yet on why I am picking these, I'll just post them right now and possibly go into an explanation later.

NFL:
Minn -1 (or 2 or anything under 3)
Detroit +3 (or possibly money line, haven't decided)
Hou/Jax Over 50

Leans:
Dallas +14 (will bet this for sure if it goes to 14.5 or higher)
NE +4.5

College:

Leaning boise for friday laying 34.5
Utah -5 at ND
NW +10 vs. Iowa

Leans:
Wisconsin (-21.5) vs. Indiana
Arizona (-4) vs. USC
Kentucky: -14.5 vs Vandy


NBA:

Friday: orlando -14; risk 110 to win 100; lean on sac +280


Saturday: Golden State money line at Milwaukee
NHL:

Not likely to bet, but stay tuned

NASCAR:

Jimmie Johnson? Who knows

HORSE RACING:

Friday: ended up down 40. Biggest hit was an unboxed exacta that paid 90 profit on a 20 bet

Monday Funday

Lots going on today/this week:

Getting a new phone- highly leaning towards getting a Blackberry after years of getting shitty phone after shitty phone. I figure if my company is gonna pay my phone bill, might as well spoil myself a little on a decent phone.

Vegas Part V- I don't need to stress the epicness of Vegas. I think the Roman Numeral (a la Super Bowls) says it all.

TV school project- Finalizing a TV project that will be shown on a local Downers Grove channel. I am playing the role of on-air talent and also produced a 2:30 piece for it on a band and internet TV show that my friends are in. Should be great.

Vegas V: Oh wait, already mentioned that

Monday night pick: Cincy +6 over Pitt.

To say Cincy has under-achieved after last year's division championship would be an understatement. While everyone is quick to blame Palmer, it's been a team effort that has led to the 2-5 start.

With that being said, I have always liked taking the points in these spots: home underdog, struggling a little, getting nearly a TD (or maybe a TD depending on my book's final number), and playing a little below their talent level on their one chance under the national spotlight. I always think back to Arizona against Chicago four years ago and Buffalo against Dallas in 2007 or 2008 I believe and remember how they played above their actual talent level for one game (and in both cases, holding leads for much of the games only to lose at the end). Pittsburgh is closing a three game road trip, surviving against Miami after a controversial call and falling flat against a Saints team that lost to Cleveland a week before that. Winning on the road ain't easy in the NFL, so I'll say if Pitt wins, they won't cover. I won't be surprised to see a Cincy win to be honest (despite some flat showings lately).

I'm making this a $100 play.

Let's do this.

Rock on.

It's Been Awhile

Writer's block can sometimes kick in, and the end of Oct, beginning of Nov has not inspired much in the way of writing. The days count till Vegas (8 now), working on our last days of TV1 in my night class (I'll be hosting a community spotlight, which will be airing on a Downers Grove local access channel) and trying to get back into the fitness kick. All things considered, my focus is on those things in descending order. In the next week, I'll be glad to book bets for you should the need arise.

I didn't post any of my NFL picks last week, but I won $100 on the Lions and lost $66 on Houston's spread, so a winning week. I'm gonna book Virginia Tech tonight (who has been on a roll since their first two losses to open the year) and I'm giving Illinois a hard look at +3 going into Ann Arbor for Saturday action. Thank god baseball is over- not only for betting purposes, but for the simple fact that the season drags once you know your team is out of it. Baseball has very little national appeal any more in terms of people caring to watch games involving teams outside of their market. Ratings for the Giants World Series victory tied the lowest rating mark with the Phils/Rays from two years ago. Bring on basketball (and perhaps I'll get more into hockey this year).

If you think of any bets that you'd like me to book for you (or make for you), please let me know. I'll dedicate $20 bets to people on roulette and make them in the order that I receive them. If your bet comes in for me, I'll buy you a beer. I'll bet red, black, a number (or a couple), whatever. You name it, I'll bet it.

Peace out.

Would you....

Go on a trip by yourself, with it being Vegas out of all places? While I will be having some friends going the day before me and we should be spending some time together, for the majority of the trip I will be at the sports book and eateries by myself wandering the strip and downing 7 and 7s and assorted mixed drinks, assuming Faderoff doesn't go on the trip.

I haven't officially booked the trip yet, but it's a formality. I need a weekend away from this town, and I feel like a trip to Vegas where I could essentially spend 2/3s of the time alone might actually be a blessing. I've never gone on a big trip in my life alone and still don't do a lot of social things alone (like going to the movies for example). My Vegas cohorts are going to the clubs there several/all of the nights, and maybe it's just me, but I get nothing out of spending $30 for cover and $10/beer to see a bunch of asshole yuppies talk about their sexual conquests and how big of whores they are (and yes, whore can apply to man as well). Also, I am not calling my friends who are going whores, unless of course they are asshole yuppies that talk about their sexual conquests.

I can't wait for Vegas, and in a weird way can't wait for some time alone and away from everything. Not that I hate life here, I just need a change of scenery. Who knows, maybe I'll have one or two Vegas moments that just stay there.

Vegas: A weekend get-away that can be enjoyed with 20 people or alone

Monday musings and pick

Random Monday musings:

If Brett Favre plays through this injury, this cements him as a "me-first" athlete. Dude could barely walk and got diagnosed with something fractured in his ankle. I honestly believe Tavarus would be a better option for next week, no joke. We haven't seen him play in a few years, but right now Favre is just gonna hurt his team if she stays out there. I just realized I typed she but don't feel like correcting it.

If Big Ben was black, would Pittsburgh have warmed up so quickly to him following his 4-game suspension following his discretions in a Georgia bar with a female? I'm normally not the first one to bring up race in a situation, but do you think Gilbert Arenas is gonna get a standing ovation when/if he starts playing for the Wizards in the NBA? Granted some of this might be apples and oranges, but you gotta wonder why women were cheering him. I sound like a neo-conservative with these rants here, but just something to think about.

Vegas is the best place on Earth. What other place in the world can you lose a grand, forget about everything that happened and pay for a hotel you never use, all the while enjoying every minute of the above? Only the greatest place in the world. I hope to have a new phone in a few weeks to let you loyal followers of said blog in on a Brian Bolek weekend in Vegas.

San Fran plays Denver over in London next week. I hope the game ends in a tie and Europe tells the NFL that they no longer want to host NFL games. Also, I predict Singletary will be "left behind" and encouraged to suck at coaching a different brand of football and on a different continent.

Pick of the day: Dallas (-3/3.5) over NYG- The desperate team wins here by a couple scores. Dallas 34-23. I hope to get the line at -3 but we'll see. My winning NFL week is once again dependent on my MNF showing, which I have lost the past two weeks. 3-2, $40 yesterday.

Have a good evening my people.